International Travel News

Departure Lounge

January 2010 issue | Appears on page 89

ITN: a lot more substantive info than slick magazines

By Armond Noble

From the mailbag: “In just one issue of ITN I got a lot more substantive info and a broader range of possibilities than I did from a bunch of slick magazines, nice as they are.” Observant people there are in Austin, Texas.

I’ve talked to lots and lots of people who have been to Copenhagen, Denmark. Sadly, not a single one of them had ever been to a museum that has been on my agenda twice. And that is the Resistance Museum. (It’ s in the city center.)

I particularly recommend it...

December 2009 issue | Appears on page 85

From the mailbag

From the mailbag — “The magazine is the best on the market, in my opinion. The others are comic books by comparison.”

“I read each issue of ITN cover to cover more than once and find the articles valuable and sometimes amusing. Thanks for having a publication such as this to keep us informed and help readers be better travelers.”

“You could charge twice as much and it would still be worth it.”

Thanks, folks.

What we see, here, as the big difference between this...

November 2009 issue | Appears on page 85

Reduced-rate trips and ITN

By Armond Noble

First, I wish to express our deep gratitude to those who take a copy of ITN on their trips, show it to other travelers, then gather up the names and addresses of those who would like sample copies sent to them. Thank you.

Next, there’ s an issue that seems to come up about every three years. Some of our cherished readers query about the suitability of ITN staffers and Contributing Editors going on reduced-rate or free trips and the credibility of the resultant articles.

Okay....

October 2009 issue | Appears on page 89

Survey prize winners

By Armond Noble

In mid-July we mailed a survey to 1,000 ITN subscribers. By mid-August we had just about 800 responses. To show our appreciation, we’re giving out $800 worth of prizes. The prizes are sixteen 50-dollar gift certificates for the travel-supply company Magellan’s.

We don’t know who returned the surveys, so, at random, selections were made from the list of those to whom the surveys were sent.

The winners were, from east to west: Mark Benvenuti, Holliston, MA; Madeline Selden,...

August 2009 issue | Appears on page 84

Poll on covering Mexico and the Caribbean

By Armond Noble

In response to consistent requests for expanded coverage in ITN, we asked our readers if they wanted the magazine to also cover Mexico and the Caribbean.

Here is a small sampling (in the order received) of the answers. Then follows the prizes awarded.

“I vote for expanded coverage” … “A NO! Love the mag” … “No, please do not” … “Please give Mexico and the Caribbean the space in ITN that they deserve” … “Yes! But I would hope that you would continue to cover information about...

July 2009 issue | Appears on page 92

Airline survey

By Armond Noble

Fun and games at ITN!

I took 10 pieces of paper, each 2 inches by 3 inches, and wrote on them, individually, the numbers 0 through 9. Folding them, I put them in a box and, with my eyes closed, drew them out, one at a time.

Out came 8-3-4-1-7. The ZIP code closest to that belonging an ITN subscriber was 83406, home to Stephen Marano in Idaho Falls, ID. Out next came 0-2-5-9-6. The ZIP code of an ITN subscriber closest to that was 02601, held by Joseph Sposta in Hyannis, MA....

June 2009 issue | Appears on page 84

Luggage tags

By Armond Noble

To the right are pictured (slightly reduced) Magellan’s “retriever tags.” You place your itinerary in the pouch and, with the furnished strap, attach it to the handle on your luggage.

I can personally attest to how useful these are. A few years ago, my luggage went astray between Vienna and Venice. For three days. Fortunately, as I often do, I had packed spare underwear, sox and a shirt in my carry-on.

The trip was on a ship (that had same-day laundry) in...

May 2009 issue | Appears on page 91

Departure Lounge

By Armond Noble

As promised, here is a list of destinations, in order, where ITN readers went in year 2008. We mailed out 1,000 surveys and had an 87.7% response. Of those, 81.2% traveled overseas last year.

The point of this exercise is so you may run your finger down the list and say something like, “Look at all the people who have been to_________, and we haven’t! Let’s think about that one.” Hope this inspires new plans.

The list shows the ranking of each destination and the percentage of...